The present invention relates to an adjustable clamp system and method. More specifically, the present invention relates to an adjustable clamp system and method used for wire bonding electrodes of a semiconductor die to pads of a lead frame.
Typical packaged semiconductors are formed with a semiconductor die mounted to a lead frame. The lead frame is formed from a sheet of metal that comprises a flag and arms attach the flag to a frame. Each of the arms are bent so that the frame and flag are in different planes, this is often referred to as the flag being “down-set”.
Pads on leads of the lead frame are wire bonded to electrodes of the die to thereby provide a means of easily electrically connecting the die to circuit boards and the like. After the electrodes and pads are wire bonded, the semiconductor die and pads are encapsulated (packaged) in a compound such as a plastics material leaving only sections of the leads exposed. These exposed leads are cut from the frame of the lead frame (singulated) and bent for ease of connection to a circuit board.
During the wire bonding the lead frame is clamped in a clamp system that has a clamp support for supporting the flag, however, due to manufacturing tolerances the distance of the “down-set” can vary thereby causing either skewing of the lead frame in the clamp system or suspending the flag from the clamp support. Both the skewing of the lead frame and suspending of the flag may cause wire bonding defects due to bouncing of the die, bouncing of the pads or under-heating of the pads during wire bonding.